For children and young people Enviroschools can be a lifelong journey from early childhood, to primary, intermediate, secondary and beyond. For schools and centres we support long-term participation; lasting changes can take many years to become embedded but every step is a change in itself.

Every Enviroschool follows a unique journey that:

Develops from small beginnings and gathers strength and breadth along the way

Empowers tamariki and students

Builds sustainable communities

Integrates into the curriculum; both Te Whāriki and the New Zealand Curriculum

Is grounded in Māori Perspectives

Embraces cultural diversity

Engages in the physical, social, cultural and political aspects of the environment

Builds towards being a whole-school/ centre approach.

The attached document provides an overview of Enviroschools and highlights some the key aspects of the programme.

The Enviroschools programme is implemented regionally, along regional council boundaries and is supported by a network of people working for a different range of organisations. See About Enviroschools for information on our structure, who is involved and our history.

The atua drawing at the top right of this page is Tangaroa - the sea. In Enviroschools we often liken the sustainability journey early childhood centres and school take, to an awa, a river. The journey starts small, it ebbs and flows, sometimes quietly moving, sometimes racing along. Tangaroa is the atua we associate with when we describe water in this sense.